Ten Blasted Years of Waiting
by EstelleDusk
Summary: Mr. Gold gained his memory back as soon as he crossed the town line with 3-week-old Henry in hand and his mother's name on his lips. The instant he looked again at the boy, with the Dark One's eyes instead of the pawnbroker's, he recognized something familiar about him. He realized...the boy was family, and you protect family. Even if you aren't sure if he's really your son's boy.
1. Henry Comes to Town

**AN:/**Now that I've FINALLY been able to login again, I'm gonna start my un-hiatus with posting the Once Upon A Time stories I've uploaded on ArchiveOfOurOwn. This particular one is a series on AO3 that I'll be posting as chapters here since there's no fancy little "X is part of Y series" button here. Before every chapter, I'll give a short summary and say in which order it is in the series. This chapter is the very FIRST in the series.

Chapter Summary: Mr. Gold was asked by Storybrooke's Mayor to get her a child to adopt and care for as her own. little did he know that when he procured the child, everything he knew would change. And it would all be because of a name.

Oh, also, the FULL description for this series of drabbles that I had written on AO3 is as follows:

When Emma Swan arrived in Granny's Bed & Breakfast in Storybrooke, that wasn't the first time Mr. Gold heard the Savior's name. No, he first heard it when he arrived at a hospital in Phoenix to pick up a 3-week old boy for Mayor Regina Mills. He wasn't sure why, but that instant that he asked the nurse the name of the mother, the name seemed familiar to him. It wasn't until he crossed back into Storybrooke that he realized just what the name Emma meant to the ancient pawnbroker.

He stayed at the town line for a few minutes, remembering who he was and what he came to this Land Without Magic for. When he looked back at the baby he was transporting, now with all his memories intact, he saw something in the baby boy that he didn't recognize before. He saw the likeness of his own boy, the one he made the Dark Curse for. From that moment, Rumplestiltskin swore to keep an eye on the child he now had to deliver into the hands of the Evil Queen.

He would do anything for his Baelfire.

Even watch as his grandson was raised by a woman he despised.

But that doesn't mean he can't have a part in young Henry's life.

* * *

When the Mayor went to him, asking for help in procuring a child, Mr. Gold left town only to return a few days later, three week old baby in hand. He was practically in a trance ever since he first held the newborn. Curiosity made him ask the caretaker the name of the mother. He claimed to want to know the name for legal reasons, to keep the mother away from the child if she ever dropped by the town. Truly, he just wondered what kind of woman would give her child away in a closed adoption. The answer he received left him blinking and unsure.

Emma Swan.

He heard the name and couldn't stop blinking. He knew that name...he couldn't fathom why or how. He had never left Storybrooke before as far as he knew. And the one time they had visitors in their little town...well, it didn't end well and there was definitely no Swans amongst the boy and his father out for a camping trip.

The instant he crossed the invisible townline, Mr. Gold slammed his foot as hard down on the brakes as he could. He remembered.

Emma. Emma. Emma.

The daughter of Snow White and the jokingly named Prince Charming.

He couldn't help himself. He laughed. For the first time in years, Rumplestiltskin laughed wholeheartedly, wiping tears away from his eyes.

He did it.

He came to the land without magic!

He could find Bae!

Suddenly, he was quite aware of an age old wound. As his eyes glanced down at his leg, he realized that his visible skin was that of an ordinary man once again. At that the thought of being normal again, his wide grin faltered.

Belle.

She wasn't in town. She was dead. And he took a moment to remember what the Curse claimed happened to his little maid. Lacey French...they had met a few times when he would collect the rent. Never sparing more than a few stiff words. Supposedly, she went crazy and killed herself shortly after her 20th birthday. Jumped from the clocktower. He never saw it happen according to the curse. It had been late at night and Regina had found her.

Just as he begins to weep, another voice squabbles for attention. The newly remembered Rumplestiltskin ignores his own pain as he reaches for the door and gets out. He hobbles to the car's back door and opens it, immediately sitting next to the baby's carseat. He takes the unnamed babe from his throne and holds him close.

"Shh...there, there. You'll meet your new mama soon. Hush now..." The pawnbroker gently rocks the baby boy until he quiets down. "Thatta' boy...good boy. Are you hungry or do you just want some attention?" He asks as he then holds him at a small distance away to see his face.

Upon seeing his eyes, Rumplestiltskin is taken aback. He knows those eyes. He first saw those eyes on a young girl that would pull his hair when they were kids. Many years would pass before he saw those eyes on a new face. On his son's face. Baelfire was about the same age when the spinner of deals first met him. He knew he would never forget the first time he met his baby boy. He also knew he would never forget the last time he saw his son.

The youngster babbles incoherently and all the deal-maker can think...is if he had known who he was before going to get Henry, then he would have been able to go find his Bae. But then he wouldn't have been able to leave. He may not be able to use magic in this world, but he could still feel the dull hum of magic at the town's border. He could even tell that no one would be able to leave the town...unless their leaving would further the breaking of the curse. And anyone that left wouldn't be able to leave for long, the Curse forcing them back into the town.

Even now the Curse was bringing an irrational fear of leaving town to his mind. He still wanted to find Bae, of course he did. That was the whole point of the Dark Curse. But he had a feeling something terrible would happen the instant he tried to cross back over the invisible line. Rumplestiltskin looks back at the cooing baby in his arms.

He looked like his Bae...but could he be related? He couldn't fathom the thought of his son abandoning his own son after what Rumplestiltskin did to him. The spinner thought Baelfire would have kept a close eye on any woman who would bear his son. That made sense to him. So he figured the child in his arms, the child of savior, might look like Bae and Milah for another reason.

Perhaps, before she died, Milah had borne Jones a son or daughter and they had left it in a town to grow up. He knew that Killian had never mentioned a child though. And now that he thought about it...he remembered Milah telling him that the midwife declared her unable to bear anymore children.

So he tried to remember if Milah had a sibling, or a cousin. Anyone that could have passed on the genes. He couldn't recall a single person in his first wife's family that had still been alive by the time she left him. But he figured there must have been some child with his wife's genes that survived.

That child would have then become the ancestor of David the Shepard. He was the former peasant after all. It was entirely possible that a relative of Milah was David's ancestor. It was also the only way that the child in his arms made any sense.

He couldn't be Baelfire's son...Rumplestiltskin couldn't be a grandfather already. No...the babe had to be a distant relative of Milah's. It was the only way. But there was always the possibility...

"Alright, alright, my boy...if you're settled now, we can be on our way." He finally told the boy. He put him back into his seat and made sure he was secure before making his way back to the driver's seat. As he started the car again, he glanced in the rearview mirror at the carseat turned away from him.

There was always the possibility, and Rumplestiltskin swore he wouldn't be caught as the fool if the possibility was reality. And if it was real...well, the imp wouldn't miss out on his grandson's life. No matter what his new mother said. No matter what Regina threatened him with, Mr. Gold swore he would keep an eye out for him.

So the pawnbroker put away his real memories and focused on his false memories. Rumplestiltskin didn't live in Storybrooke. Mr. Gold did, and he was the most feared and respected person in the whole town.

* * *

If you liked it, review. If you didn't like it, don't review and try another story by someone else. If you're lazy, just refresh the page a couple times, signifying, to me, that you liked it.


	2. Gold Babysits Henry for the First Time

**AN:/** Okay, this is part two, it's shortly after the first chapter...which already has a review? What? Uhh, okay, I'll properly reply to that shortly ^_^

Chapter Summary: Henry is a month old and Regina still isn't used to taking of a baby and doing her mayoral duties. So she decides she needs a few hours to herself. But who would she trust with such precious cargo? Why, none other than the most powerful man in-town. Of course, Rumplestiltskin has never done something for nothing.

* * *

The pawnbroker was in the middle of one of these such arguments with himself when the decision was made for him. "Madame Mayor...to what do I deserve your presence this early in the day? Were you considering the charming unicorn mobile for your boy, perhaps?" Let it not be left unsaid that the former spinner adored teasing people. Especially when it came to rubbing a bit of history into the most definitely beloved Evil Queen's face.

And of course, Mr. Gold made sure his face was bewildered and utterly innocent when she glanced at the mobile before snarling at the pawnbroker. "No...I'm here for another reason. Gold...you had a family once, I assume. I mean, it's not that hard to see guess from the ring you're always fiddling with."

"Aye..." He nods and lowers his head as he waits for his fake memories to inform him just what happened to his family according to the Curse. "A wife and a boy of my own. But I lost them both in the accident that I escaped with nothing more than a bum leg." As his fake memories assault him, he forces himself to not shake. They may not be real to Rumplestiltskin, but they were still Gold's memories and were terrible.

"Forgive me, Madame Mayor...it's been a very long time since I've thought about my boy and my wife. It's harsh memory...especially since ones responsible were never caught."

"Yes...well...how tragic. I trust you wouldn't be getting near any cars if I left Henry with you for a few hours?" Regina's lips twitch, perhaps in sorrow, perhaps in joy at his perceived tragic past. Gold liked to think it was in sorrow, but Rumplestiltskin knew better.

"I'm sorry? Mayor Mills, am I right to assume...you need a babysitter?" The imp inwardly giggled and started asking himself which story to start with. Perhaps the tale of the Dark One before him? Or maybe of the Devil's Three Golden Hairs? He considers starting with a kinder tale with not as much danger, such as the Little Match Girl. Oh, wait...the girl dies in the end of that particular story. Rumplestiltskin assumes he'll have to invest in a book of, what did they call them in this world...right, fairy tales.

"You assume correctly, Mr. Gold. I simply want to ensure my child is safe at all times, and since you're the second most powerful person in town, it's safe to assume that no one would dare bother you. Especially since hardly anyone ever seems to come into your...lovely shop. So you would have more time than myself to devote to Henry today." She plasters on a grin as she struggles to hold the baby correctly, trying not to show that she has no idea what she's doing and simply needs a break from dealing with a squabbling babe.

Mr. Gold decides to pity the former queen for a little while. He rests his cane against the counter and holds his arms out for the child, "if I may?" Regina practically drops Henry into his arms and the pawnbroker quickly rearranges the boy in his arms before leaning on the counter for some extra support since his cane isn't in-hand. Henry, who had slowly gathered the air in his lungs to cry, quickly abandoned that pursuit now that he's being held correctly. "While it's not my place to question what could be more important than a child, I do hope, Madame Mayor, that you're passing him off to him because you still need time to adjust. And not because you wish for me to return him to the hospital he came from."

He keeps his eyes on the mewling babe and so misses the angry look he's certain the former queen was giving him. After a few minutes of Regina going back to her car and gathering the baby bag before depositing it on a free space on one of his cluttered counters, she finally speaks, albeit rather stiffly. "It's only for a few hours. I'll be back by 3 o'clock. No later."

On her way out, she stops at the door and finally asks the question that had been on her mind since she first saw Mr. Gold fiddling with a wedding band a few weeks after they came to Storybrooke. "Mr. Gold...your son...how old was he when you lost them?"

"I lost my wife's love long before I lost her life. But I lost them both when my boy was barely becoming a man." He closes his eyes as he tries to separate the truth from what supposedly happened. "He had his eye on a neighborhood girl, Mary was her name. I had convinced him to ask her out when we came back from the cruise we won. My brave boy...he went up against the pirates to keep his mother and meself safe."

"I see...well, have a good day, Mr. Gold."

"Please, one moment, Regina. I just want to make one thing perfectly clear. A child is a gift. If you can promise me that you will always do what's best for your boy, then I'll watch him for you whenever you need me to." He doesn't look up, but he gives a smile when he realizes that his first use of the Please Clause, was to ensure Henry had the best the queen could give him.

"Of course."

"Then have a pleasant day, Madame Mayor. I'll see you at 3 o'clock." Only after the mayor had been gone for a few minutes did Mr. Gold allow Rumplestiltskin free reign for that story. "Now...Henry, I believe the first story I'll tell you, is of Snow White and her Prince Charming. But this won't be like the tale you'll hear in school. Oh, no, you see, this version, is true. The only question is...where should I start? Ah, yes, we'll start where all the best tales start, once upon a time..."

* * *

If you liked it, review. If you didn't like it, don't review and try another story by someone else. If you're lazy, just refresh the page a couple times, signifying, to me, that you liked it.


	3. No Fairytales for Henry

**AN:/** This is third is the series, but there's a high chance something will be written that takes place between this one and the previous one.

Chapter Summary: Regina discovers a book that Mr. Gold gave 5-year old Henry and rushes to confront the pawnbroker. She doesn't like little reminders of the Enchanted Forest, especially not when it comes to the mermaid that got the Happily Ever After Regina never did.

* * *

"Mr. Gold!" Comes the shrill screech of a frustrated Regina Mills.

Mr. Gold sighs heavily as the little bell connected to his pawnshop door nearly breaks from the force used to open the door. He should have expected that he'd done something to upset the former Queen. But for the life of him, he couldn't figure out what he did. He takes a glance at the 5 year old boy at Her Majesty's side. He appears severely depressed and ashamed, but the former imp can't figure out why. "Madame Mayor...do be careful with my little bell, would you?"

He offers her a weak smile and points at the bell by the door when she's taken aback by his words. She reaches into her purse and retrieves a book that Mr. Gold recognizes as one he gave her boy earlier in the day, barely an hour ago. "What is this, Gold?" She asks before throwing the book in his direction. It lands on the ground, some of it's pages bent and the 25 page book lies open to a picture of a redheaded mermaid attempting to swim to the surface before her tail becomes legs.

Mr. Gold curses his leg as he limps around the counter to the book and then reaches down to pick it up. He attempts to flatten the bent pages before answering the mayor. "Well, I would think even in your busy life you would recognize a storybook when you saw it."

"That's not what I mean and you know it. You gave my son this book!"

"I'm afaid I don't quite understand, Mayor Mills. When has there ever been something wrong in giving a child some fairytales? I made sure there were plenty of pictures in case he was being lazy in his reading lessons. The words are large in size and should be easy for him to read considering there's no word in this book more advanced than," he takes a look at the book and pulls out the first word he considers advanced for a child of Henry's age, "the word 'unconcious.' Which mean, young Henry, that she fell asleep due to injury. As you can see, Madame Mayor, this book is quite suitable for a child Henry's age."

"No," she gives him an angry look, "it's not. I won't have my son reading these lies. You are never to give him another gift again without my consent, do you undestand me, Mr. Gold?"

He sighs and bows his head. "Very well...a mother knows best, after all. I shall keep my gifts to your boy...within your parameters. Is a cupcake on his birthday appropriate? I received a recipe for a particulary good one from a blind woman years back when I was still married." He gives her an inquisitive look and wondes if she caught the little reference to the Blind Witch she had a hand in killing back in the Enchanted Forest.

Accoring to the flinch, he assumes she clearly recalls the person. "No. And nothing from this store of yours either. A new shirt or sweater will do for birthdays. Understood?"

"Yes, Mayor Mills, I understand." Mr. Gold replies as Regina leaves the store with Henry in tow, hating himself for doing as she ordered. But he has to continue pretending he doesn't know a thing. And to do that, he has to abide by her every word. He can't wait until the Savior arrives, in just 5 short years, Rumplestiltskin will be able to openly go against Regina. At that time, he can make sure that Henry has the storybook that he reads to the lad every now and then. The storybook full of truth. For a moment, he wonders how he'll make sure Henry gets the book.

He susposes he could call in a favor with Jefferson, but he's not sure the Mad Hatter would appreciate the fact that ever since the Curse was enacted, Rumpletiltskin never visited his old accomplice to assure him that he wasn't entirely bonkers. So Mr. Gold throws that idea out the window. He then remembers something very important as he stares out of his pawnshop's window and sees Mary Margaret Blanchard nearly run into Regina Mills and her son. Snow White would be Henry's teacher in 5 years. And a teacher had power that a simple pawnbroker did not. They commonly gave books to their students for summer reading and the like.

Yes, it's the perfect plan. Give the storybook to Ms. Blanchard, hint that it should go to the lonely son of the mayor who by then would have figured out he was adopted. Then wait a few weeks for the young Mr. Mills to figure out who his mother is. He then should be able to bring his mother to Storybrooke someway. Perhaps through the power of the internet or maybe he would act like his grandfather Prince Charming and go out looking himself.

If Henry does the latter, then Rumplestiltskin would put a tick on his list of ways that Henry is like Baelfire. After five years, the number of tick marks on that list have drastically grown and it gave Rumplestiltskin the hope and strength he needed every day to be Mr. Gold.

* * *

If you liked it, review. If you didn't like it, don't review and try another story by someone else. If you're lazy, just refresh the page a couple times, signifying, to me, that you liked it.


	4. Henry and Gold Collect the Rent

**AN:/**This may currently canonically be the 4th in this series, but it was the first one I wrote for it.

Chapter Summary: Mr. Gold makes his rounds with a small boy tagging along in his best suit and a borrowed tie.

* * *

Mr. Gold tried not to pay any mind to his extra shadow.

Instead, he kept his mind on Belle. Or Lacey as she called herself now. When he introduces his son to Belle, he wanted to make sure she was Belle, and not Lacey. So as the pawnbroker began his rounds on the town to collect the rent, he thought only of ways to make Belle remember herself.

It was only when his shadow failed to move quickly enough to avoid being seen, as Mr. Gold left Granny's B&B, that the former imp decided to see exactly why the youngest member of his family was following him around.

"Henry...just why have you deemed it necessary to follow me?"

"I...well since you're my grandpa, I just wanted to spend more time with you. And since today is Rent Day, I figured it would be perfect. You know, since you won't be busy with my dad or Belle." The boy admits, only a little sheepish at being caught.

The pawnbroker can't help the slight upwards twitch of his lips. Such courage...to tail a dangerous beast like himself. The boy is so like Baelfire that Mr. Gold decides something. Yes...yes the boy will be his undoing as the Seer once said. But he had guessed as much when the babe had first arrived in Storybrooke and Rumplestiltskin saw his Bae in the newborn.

Even after 300 hundred years, the Dark One never forgot how his Bae first looked. His first vision and his last vision of Baelfire were ingrained in his mind forever. And so when he saw the then un-named Henry, he had half a mind to keep the baby as his own. But he knew the Savior would never come if she had no reason to, so he instead vowed to keep an eye on the sleeping babe until he could bring his mother to town. And now that his suspicion was confirmed...he supposed it was time for a little family bonding with his grandson.

"Well now, Henry, if you're going to be collecting the rent with me, you can't go around looking like that. Why don't we see what we can do about that?"

Again, Mr. Gold tried not to pay attention to the town around him.

Instead, he tried to keep the smug grin off his face as he knocked on doors, entered businesses, and asked for the rent. All with a ten year old boy behind him, dressed in his best suit and a borrowed tie. Every person that saw the pair couldn't deny the family resemblance. And the expressions some of the people had, just made the former imp smile more.

The face Regina had as they walked by the diner when she was leaving, was particularly satisfying. Before entering his second to last stop of the day, he instructed his grandson to do as he did the rest of the day and ask for the rent from the next place.

So Henry knocked on the door and tried his best to keep the excitement off his face. He felt like laughing and as he heard his grandmother's voice yell through the apartment for him to wait, he chanced a glance at Mr. Gold and saw that he was nearly laughing.

Mary Margeret soon opened the door and was obviously surprised when she saw her student and grandson standing there in a fancy suit with Mr. Gold just behind him.

"Uh...Henry, did you forget your key? Come on in, I thought you were with your gra...David all day." She changed what she was about to say when she remembers Henry has more than one grandfather now.

"Gran...err...Ms. Blanchard, I'm here to collect the rent in Mr. Gold's stead. Do you have it?" Henry quickly stopped the first name he was going to call his grandmother when Mr. Gold pokes the back of his leg with his cane.

"I'm sorry?" She asked after successfully quieting her laugh.

"I do believe my...apprentice made himself quite clear, Ms. Blanchard." Mr. Gold replied as he gave Henry another light tap with his cane. He could see the boy was struggling to not laugh and knew that if any of them laughed, the others would likely follow.

When the pawnbroker left the apartment of the Charmings, minus one well-dressed grandson, he slowly made his way to his last stop. When Belle was still Belle, this was his last stop as well. Although she paid her rent in kisses then. But now that Lacey is in control, this is his last stop simply because of how mentally exhausted he was afterwards.

The closer he got to Lacey's apartment, the more Rumplestiltskin felt his 300+ years. Finally, he reached the apartment and knocked. He waited patiently. He had thought her dead once. He was certain he could wait for her. No matter how long she took.

He heard the door unlock and saw her cautiously peep through the side of the door. He saw that blasted gold chain keep the door from opening too far. He heard her ask slowly and warily what he was doing on her doorstep.

"Just collecting the rent, dearie, nothing more." He replied, forcing himself to keep a good distance from the door until she gave him leave to be any closer. The door closed in his face and soon reopened. A plain white envelope was sticking out in her hand. He took the envelope and turned around to walk away. "Thank you, dearie."

He didn't need to see her staring at him through the tiny opening the chained lock provided as he limped his way home. The gold chain made her feel safe. From him. He's never hated gold so much.

* * *

If you liked it, review. If you didn't like it, don't review and try another story by someone else. If you're lazy, just refresh the page a couple times, signifying, to me, that you liked it.


	5. It Doesn't Matter

**AN:/**This is currently the very LAST in the series, chronologically, but there will be more written that will jump around. From this point on, I will use the format: "This drabble is after X and before Y (and taking place during Z)" where X, Y, and Z are the names of other drabbles, and where the bit with Y and Z may or may not be optional depending on the drabble.

Chapter Summary: Before she lost her memories, they were married and told no one so that none of his enemies would have any more of a reason to go after her. After the teacup, young Henry Mills notices something that Mr. Gold would have rathered he never mentioned.

* * *

"Mr. Gold?" The 10 year old boy questions as he walks up to the obviously broken man.

"Yes, Henry?" The pawnbroker asks, tired. After having his and Belle's chipped cup break into pieces, he left his amnesiac lover's room and collapsed on one of the many benches in the hospital.

"Is that a wedding ring?" The boy-who may or may be his grandson-chances to ask.

"What?" Rumplestiltskin looks up from his clasped hands at the boy, then he glances at the finger the Savior's son points to. His heart drops, he had forgotten about his ring. He and Belle had gotten married before she lost her memory, but they both agreed that they couldn't announce that to the world, not yet.

So whenever they left the privacy of their own homes, they put their rings in their pockets or around their necks on chains. So Rumplestiltskin began to worry. Who saw the ring besides Henry? And more importantly, how would he protect Belle who was so scared that she refused to try and remember?

He had to leave.

He had to protect her with his absence.

He'd find Bae, bring his boy home.

But Belle needed protection while he was gone.

His eyes stray to the Savior's boy. Henry loved being near Belle, which is something that he former imp was grateful for since it meant he spent more time with him. And the boy's family would never let anything happen to him. Wherever the boy was, was a safe place. He'd just reinforce the idea in their short-minded brains and be home free.

"Mr. Gold?"

Right…the question… "It doesn't matter any more, my boy."

Rumplestiltskin puts his right hand over his wedding ring. Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, he removes the ring and clutches it tightly as his eyes re-open. "There, see? No matter. Best go home, Henry, this isn't the place for children."

Not to mention, he knows he's going to need some time to put on his mask before requesting the Savior's help to find his son.

* * *

If you liked it, review. If you didn't like it, don't review and try another story by someone else. If you're lazy, just refresh the page a couple times, signifying, to me, that you liked it.


	6. Her Name Was Lacey

Quick Summary: Gold is reminiscing in his shop when he gets an unexpected visitor in the form of a distraught little boy

This chapter is chronologically before _Henry And Gold Collect the Rent_ and after _No Fairytales for Henry._

* * *

The light ringing of the bell in the front of his shop causes Mr. Gold to sigh. He had flipped his shop sign to "CLOSED" for a reason. He wasn't up to socializing with anyone today, but he knew he still had to come into work. Even his false memories made today out to be a particularly bad day for him.

Rumplestiltskin forces himself to gently put down the chipped cup he was polishing. Reaching for his cane, he slowly stands and calls out from the backroom. "Shop's closed, dearie! Come back tomorrow or I'll raise your rent!"

He's halfway to the heavy purple curtain separating the backroom from the shop itself, when a tiny brunet head sticks itself through the curtain. "You can't raise my rent, I haven't bought anything from you lately."

Mr. Gold blinks, having expected that Regina would have kept a tighter leash on her boy today of all days. "Henry? I wasn't expecting you..." the pawnbroker lets his eyes stray to the clock nearby. "Shouldn't you be in school?"

"I was..." the mayor's boy replies, before completely entering the backroom. The 8-year-old rubs the back of his head. "But...we learned something today in class and..."

"Oh? What did you learn that would prompt you to miss geography with Mr. Necium? I have it on good authority that his Friday stories about Africa are one of your favorite lessons of the day." Mr. Gold knows he should be sending the boy back to school, but he admits that he could use a distraction today. So instead he pulls out a stool for the boy to climb on, and then he sits back on his own stool.

Henry climbs on top of the stool without any help and bites his lower lip. His eyes are facing the ground when he speaks. "I heard about the librarian...today is the day she died, right? My mom...she said you knew her. There was an assembly today in school. About Stranger Danger. And...she didn't really jump, did she? The way she was described, she sounded wonderful. And I just can't believe that you would push her like I heard some people say. She sounded like she would have been your best friend. And...and...Gramps, you're not like that!" He looks up at the pawnbroker who's helped take care of him all these years.

Rumplestiltskin isn't sure what part to address first. The fact that the citizens of Storybrooke believe he pushed his beloved Belle from the tower her father threw her in, the fact that he was brought up in a presentation about stranger danger, or the fact that Henry had once again called him grandpa. He supposes it's a good thing Regina wasn't here like the last time Henry said that. That was after all the reason he wasn't allowed to babysit the boy anymore.

"Henry...her name was...Lacey French. We didn't really know each other...I owned her apartment, the one above the library, so we would exchange words. And she was...quite the fetching young woman. But she was nervous around me, and the only tenet I ever stayed away from, to make her comfortable, you understand. I wish...I wish we had been friends, perhaps she wouldn't have thrown herself from the clocktower if she had a friend. She didn't get along with her father you see. I still don't know what possessed me to give her a lowered rent and a job. But never did I touch her. Yes, there is danger from strangers, my boy, but you have no need to fear me. Let the others believe what they wish, my reputation as a rough and scary man is what allows us to have these little chats, you know. People only come to see me when they have no where else to turn."

"So you didn't push her?" Henry's young mind quickly latches onto what he considers the most important bits of what Mr. Gold said. "And you wanted to be her friend?"

"Correct." Mr. Gold nods. Rumplestiltskin bites his lip so he doesn't say exactly what he wanted to be to Belle. Even the imp knows there are some things you don't mention in the presence of children, no matter how true they are.

"You know...I think you should find a new Lacey. Someone to be your friend. I can't be your only friend, I'm just a kid. You need a friend your age. Maybe a girlfriend. Then she could spoil me too. Oh! And she has to have a pretty name, and bake cookies since your cookies are always burnt." Henry replies with a wide grin, his mind having quickly left behind sadder thoughts.

"Well I can't very well be good at everything, now can I, son? And I...don't need a girlfriend. Now, I think you've missed enough class for today. Let me drive you back to school." Mr. Gold bites his lip as he gets to his feet again.

"Alright..." Henry allows himself to be drawn from his stool, and allow Mr. Gold to gently lead him from the shop, the pawnbroker uses his hand on the boy's shoulder to accomplish this.

"One more thing..."

"Yeah?"

"You know you're not supposed to call me grandpa. What if your mother heard?"

"Okay..."


End file.
